Unexpected Visit

"Your highness! In two li we will reach Ling country. Should we rest or keep going?"

"Keep going!"

"Yes, your highness!"

***

In the palace was Fan Sang the play in her eyes. Everyone also enjoys it as well. The play finally ended then they quickly left. Just then a guy with green clothes enters the room. He ran to Li Han Lian and whisper in his ears. Li Han Lian eye widens and lightly nodded. The small guy then ran back out.

"Lian Er what is going on?"

Li Han Lian gave her an assuring smile, "It just Crown Prince Zhu Shan from the Liang country has come to visit." Fan Sang lightly nods. Li Fu Ling faces brightening and smiles. Everyone else was shocked. Feng Jiu notices her daughter's action and hopelessly sighs.

"That good. The more the merrier, "Fan Sang said. She then looks at Li Bai Xue. Li Fu Ling hid her smile very well, but her eyes betrayed her. Her eyes shine with happiness.

'Shan ge! He is coming!' Li Bai Xue looks at Li Fu Ling with happiness yet a trace of sadness. A young handsome man enters the Banquet Hall. Li Fu Ling couldn't contain her happiness so she starts to smile from ear to ear.

"Zhu Shan you have come. As our guest won't you have a seat now."

"Yes," Zhu Shan said. Then he sat down in the seat where he could have to see Li Bai Xue. Li Fu Ling state at Zhu Shan. Her heart ached as he only saw Li Bai Xue. There wasn't a time that she hasn't thought of him before. She knew he likes another yet she shamelessly still like him. She couldn't stop herself from growing this feeling.

Zhu Shan look at Li Bai Xue and took notice of the red cheek. His eye turns cold. He immediately looks at Li Fu Ling. ' Disgusting!' He had wrongly accused Li Fu Ling of Li Bai Xue's red cheek.

Li Bai Xue had already long noticed Zhu Shan gaze on her yet she acts like she did not. She was a smart woman. She knew he likes her and Li Fu Ling like him. She did not want to hurt him but in return, she must hurt Li Fu Ling. Li Bai Xue did not know what to do. This is not the same love she received from Nai Nai or Laoshi Hua.

It was different. She wondered how it must feel like. Was it painful? Happy? Joyful? Sadness? Hurtful? She did not know and wish she did. These three all had a restless night of thinking.

***

Li Fu Ling did not have a good night's rest resulting in her waking up late. She was so scared that Zhu ge ge would think badly of her. That she tried her best at making herself look good before she left her room. She knew he like light colors so she dresses in a light green dress with a pink strap. She went toward Qian Jing Manor.

She knew he would be there like always she knew where he was. Li Fu Ling was right. Zhu Shan was there, sitting across from Li Bai Xue, admiring her. Li Bai Xue was dressed in a light pink dress with light purple flowers on the dark blue strap. Li Fu Ling bites her lower lip to surpass her jealousy from arising.

She slowly entered the room as she felt Zhu Shan's eyes shot her disgust. She felt the gaze and smiled bitterly. She greeted Fan Sang before sitting down. "Dear child, it must have been hard on you. The banquet was beautiful yesterday. You have rest instead of coming here, "Fan Sang said.

Li Fu Ling smile, "Empress Dowager, LingEr is only doing what a granddaughter should do. LingEr had rest too much already and should come to pay respect to Nai Nai."

"Meimei it good that you are here. I have lessons to attend to. So you take care of Nai Nai for me. Nai Nai XueEr bid farewell," Li Bai Xue said to Fan Sang. Fan Sang smile as she nodded her head. She was not happy one bit but she knew that of XueEr did not go. The Empress would find fault with her.

Li Fu Ling and Zhu Shan accompany Fan Sang for a bit longer before she dismissed them. She says she was tried and wish to sleep. Li Fu Ling and Zhu Shan bid farewell and left the Qian Jing Manor together. They reach the gate before Zhu Sang was going to leave, but Li Fu Ling called out to him.

"Zhu ge ge!"Li Fu Ling shouted desperately. He turns around.

"What is it?"Li Fu Ling looks down not daring to look him in the face.

"...Was your trip here safe?" she mustered all the courage inside of her to just say this sentence aloud.

"Do you wish that I have encountered trouble?"

Li Fu Ling lift her head immediately, "That not-"

"It didn't matter. Since it nothing important, I have to go now."Zhu Shan said. He left Li Fu Ling behind without a care in the world.

"Gongzhu..."Su Lan said. She felt saddened by Li Fu Ling's expression. She stays beside her side day and night ever since she was a child. She knew her very well. Everything she has done was only for Crown Prince Zhu, yet she was treated like this. It pained her heart.

In the Qian Jing Manor upstair in a certain room was an old lady staring at the young pitiful girl. She sigh. "Mama Xi that child is sure pitiful. Too bad for her. I am making sure Crown Prince Zhu and XueEr a couple. He will be able to help her in the near future. Luckily he feels something for her."

"Empress Dowager you should rest now or you will be weak, "Mama Xi said. The old lady retires to bed as she sleeps soundly. Mama Xi covers the cauldron of smoke, and sigh. "Very pitiful."

***

Li Bai Xue enters the Winter Manor searching for Laoshi Hua. Laoshi Hua unexpectedly appeared before her.

"Laoshi Hua,"Li Bai Xue said. Laoshi Hua look at Li Bai Xue.

"Xiao Xue... was that Crown Prince Zhu that attend the banquet yesterday?"Laoshi Hua asked. Her voice was filled with concern and anxiety.

Li Bai Xue had a confused face as she replied, "Yes. He is Crown Prince Zhu. Is something wrong?"

Laoshi Hua broke into a gentle smile, but her eyes were filled with worries. "Nothing wrong. Laoshi doesn't feel too good that all. Laoshi will come to find you when Laoshi gets better."Laoshi Hua chased her away before she retired back to her room.